Battle Second Battle of the Odon

on left flank of 15th (scottish) division, crossroads @ le bon repos , higher ground overlooking esquay-notre-dame attacked 2nd glasgow highlanders of 227th (highland) infantry brigade (227th brigade), supported churchill tanks of 107th regiment royal armoured corps (107th rac) of 34th tank brigade , 141st regiment royal armoured corps (141st rac) of 79th armoured division, equipped churchill armoured vehicle royal engineers (avre) , churchill crocodile flame thrower tanks. scottish advanced north-east, south-west on northern slope of hill 112, towards defences of iii battalion, 21st ss-panzergrenadier regiment. infantry emerged dead ground met massed mortar fire, temporarily disorganised battalion, did smoke screen placed on hill 112, had merged fog , covered area. scottish still managed cross start line on time @ 9:30 p.m. , captured ss survivors of flame attack crocodiles on road running croix des filandriers le bon repos. advance continued downhill under monty s moonlight , covering fire 107th rac churchills on higher ground south of baron. esquay captured 11:00 p.m. not held, position below saucer of higher ground made shell-trap.

the 2 leading tank squadrons , 2 troops of crocodiles 141st rac engaged, while third squadron waited in reserve behind crest, under frequent mortar fire during evening , night. 4 tanks lost many of crews returned after dark. troops dug in on surrounding rises @ positions determined earlier using reconnaissance photographs. attack interpreted germans move on hill 112 , tiger tanks of 102nd schwere ss-panzer abteilung sent southern slope repulse attack never came. further west, rest of division had captured point 113 not Évrecy, left glasgow highlanders overlooked both flanks, although german counter-attacks infantry of 21st ss-panzergrenadier regiment , tanks of 10th ss-panzer regiment @ first concentrated on esquay, had been evacuated. germans counter-attack fell on positions around le bon repos, 2 panzer iv knocked out 6-pounder anti-tank guns. scottish pushed several times, medium artillery of xii corps bombard germans out. on 18 july, 107th rac had skirmish dug‑in tigers , 2 88 mm self-propelled guns , lost 4 tanks on ridge. highlanders maintained positions 2 days, before being relieved battalion of 53rd (welsh) division.

the 44th (lowland) brigade (44th brigade) attack south-west tourmauville take point 113, gavrus , bougy in odon valley, while 227th brigade captured esquay , attacked Évrecy. main 44th brigade attack begin, attack 6th king s own scottish borderers (kosb) on point 113 , attack 2nd gordon highlanders , 10th highland light infantry of 227th brigade on left flank @ 10:30 p.m., followed attack 8th royal scots 153rd regiment royal armoured corps (153rd rac) of 34th tank brigade on flank of hill @ 5:30 a.m. on 16 july, take gavrus , bougy; monty s moonlight deployed assist night advance. 6th kosb formed on start line behind german outpost line , advanced directly german defences under artificial moonlight. morning scottish dug in on hill, 1 company finding 1,000 yards (910 m) forward of objective, disrupted german preparations counter-attack, before retiring objective.

at 5:30 a.m. on 16 july, 8th royal scots (8th rs) , 153rd rac advanced towards gavrus, tanks attacking side of hill on left flank, protected germans in Évrecy ridge, behind village , menace german line of retreat, while infantry overran village. 7:45 a.m. 8th rs had taken village , 70 prisoners. similar attack made on bougy , 100 prisoners taken, after garrison routed. during day several counter-attacks made on scottish positions, repulsed artillery barrages, many german casualties. in afternoon, germans counter‑attacked twice tiger , panther tanks accompanied infantry. mortar fire on forward positions continuous throughout afternoon , evening no ground lost , many casualties inflicted on germans in mutually costly defensive action. tank crews fought or @ instant readiness thirty hours without relief, 0 hour until german counter-attacks ended. 6th royal scots fusiliers (6th rsf) moved forward gavrus , 8th rs formed @ bougy. on left flank, situation deteriorated after 227th brigade attack on Évrecy failed; touch 6th kosb became tenuous.

by dawn on 16 july 15th (scottish) division had captured bougy, gavrus , dug in around esquay , western end of point 113. on 17 july, front line became quieter 44th brigade exposed success of german defenders on flanks , subjected artillery bombardment. 6th kosb repulsed 2 attacks , germans defeated british attacks towards Évrecy. 2 officers of 8th rsf had led patrols towards Évrecy , found german positions still occupied. morning of 18 july german positions found have been partly evacuated , 6th kosb pushed forward bougy–Évrecy road. attack 59th (staffordshire) division of xxx corps, right (western) flank towards positions of 8th rs, made slow progress. 4 more german counter-attacks against 44th brigade defeated. during night brigade relieved 71st brigade, 53rd (welsh) division , returned le haut du bosq, suffering several casualties on way. 9th ss-panzer division brought reserve , end of day had restored front line, except @ hill 113.

the 158th brigade 53rd (welsh) division, under command of 15th division , 147th rac due attack on 16 july. attack postponed, because minefields around baron had not been cleared; several flail tanks , 2 churchill tanks had been disabled mine explosions. on next night attack cancelled due fog , operation began late on 17 july. attack Évrecy required long advance down forward slope village. attack poorly prepared , infantry battalion had been depleted casualties, composite company being formed 1 officer , fifty men , second company consisting of composite platoon. infantry tired keep tanks, had move when brought under 88mm fire village. 150 prisoners taken mortar fire forced infantry start line. 53rd (welsh) division captured cahier , defeated several big counter-attacks. more attacks xii corps gained no ground , during evening of 17 july, british force on point 113 withdrew, ending operation.

operation pomegranate, 16–17 july

on 16 july, xxx corps launched operation pomegranate. on right of corps, 50th (northumbrian) division had held ground north of hottot since last week of june , kept front line disturbed frequent patrols , raids, provoked several german counter-attacks supported tanks. 56th independent brigade had attacked hottot on 8 july had captured objective on main road west of hottot , been driven panzer-lehr division counter-attack, 3 infantry companies , c. 30 tanks, pushed brigade across road. on 11 july, 231st brigade attacked hottot capture village. supported tanks , elaborate artillery fire plan, 2 battalions able reach northern fringe of village. during attack on 18 july 50th division captured hottot last time, assisted german retirement caused operation goodwood , operation cobra. occupation of hottot left 50th division poised capture villers bocage , advance towards river noireau. on right flank of 50th division, 56th independent infantry brigade faced 2nd panzer division, maintained constant attacks mortars, self-propelled guns , snipers. brigade patrolled extensively , 20 july, realised enemy had withdrawn la chapelle area. patrol went forward , dug in , company advanced through bois de saint germain , dug in on southern fringe.

in centre of xxx corps, 49th (west riding) division attacked 146th brigade @ la barbée farm 1/4th battalion, king s own yorkshire light infantry (koyli), advanced @ 6:45 a.m. , reached farm east. @ 5:00 p.m. germans counter-attacked farm , surrounded on 3 sides. hallamshire battalion, york , lancs attacked vendes frontally, despite representations attack night or east less costly. attack began @ 6:45 a.m. , stopped machine-gun crossfire. attempt @ flank attack stopped @ la bijude farm , attack west through la barbée farm after had been captured failed. box-barrage around hallamshires , koyli fired twenty minutes after battalions withdrew @ 5:00 p.m. next day discovered deserters germans had withdrawn vendes , farms.

in 59th (staffordshire) division area, phase of attack began @ 5:30 a.m. 197th brigade on right attacking 5th east lancashires , 177th brigade on left 5th , 1/6th south staffords. 5th east lancashires fought way first objective east of vendes , captured part of village 8:00 a.m. @ 2:30 p.m. counter-attacked infantry , tanks, overran 1 company , forced rest of battalion start line. 1/6th south staffords captured brettevillette in costly attack 6:45 a.m. in many troops lost direction in thick dawn mist , british found area had been sown thickly mines. battalion pressed on , reached queudeville 8:45 a.m., despite of tanks in support of battalion having been knocked out in british minefield.

the 5th south staffords took orchards west of grainville sur odon , captured les nouillons noon, left 177th brigade on first phase objectives. @ 1:30 p.m. flail tanks began work through german minefield @ queudeville. phase ii delayed casualties incurred in phase @ 5:30 p.m. 2/6th south staffords attacked noyers , @ 6:15 p.m. 6th north staffords attacked haut des forges. 2/6th south staffords entered noyers later forced point 126, north of station. 6th north staffords took haut des forges against less determined opposition. 59th division had captured 369 prisoners. on 197th infantry brigade front, 2/5th lancashire fusiliers attacked phase objective @ 10:30 p.m. massed german mortar fire, prevented battalion leaving start line. @ dawn on 17 july, 2/6th south staffords , part of 5th south staffords attacked noyers , advanced close railway station, before being forced under cover , @ 1:30 p.m. withdrawn reorganise. during afternoon 5th south staffordshires attacked noyers north-east held on fringe. 1/6th south staffords advanced brettevillette towards bordel @ same time against determined resistance. when night fell british fell noyers during bombardment. in 197th brigade area, 1/7th royal warwicks, tanks of 1st northamptonshire yeomanry , churchill crocodiles attacked phase objective again @ 12:30 p.m. , captured objective; 176th brigade attacked bordel made little progress.

next day, 177th brigade attacked noyers @ 10:00 a.m. 1/6th , 5th south staffords supported conventional tanks, churchill avre , crocodile flame thrower tanks, not able advance far against determined german resistance. 5 more tanks lost , attack in afternoon failed. british retired after dark enable bombardment of village. on right flank, 1/7th royal warwicks reached ferme de guiberon nightfall , 49th division reported there had been withdrawals on front. in centre 7th south staffords of 176th brigade advanced on bordel , took village , area la senevière against few german troops artillery , mortar fire. 197th brigade relieved overnight 176th brigade , 7th royal norfolks took on 1/7th royal warwicks @ ferme de guiberon, point 124 , landet, had been taken after dark. british infantry had captured high ground south of brettevillette , took 300 prisoners on first day. next day advance continued fighting on outskirts of noyers-bocage. reconnaissance battalion of 9th ss panzer division committed defence of noyers-bocage, germans claimed have recaptured, although xxx corps had been held on outskirts having captured high ground outside village , railway station. 49th division captured vendes. 59th division took haut des forges , entered noyers repulsed village 277th division. 50th division captured hottot-les-bagues, had been fought on more month , took 300 prisoners.

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